tesoro vaquero vs fisher 1266x

[cokat7]

Hi all, I'm just wondering how the tesoro vaquero would stack up against the fisher 1266x. I realize that the 1266x is out of production but I have recently considered buying one given it's reputation as a legendary relic hunting machine. Is there any users out there that have used both? I'd be glad to hear of any honest comparisons between the two.

Thanks in advance.

[Sandman]

The 1266 is almost 30 yrs old and I can hardly remember using it. What I do remember is the two position disc mode which is almost like the Tejon with its trigger. Comparing the two is easy. The Vaquero is not as deep, but easier to use and lighter too. I don't know if Fisher will repair the 1266 anymore.

http://www.losttreasure.com/content/...metal-detector

[cokat7]

With all the recent hype on the vaquero and many dedicated 1266 users that swear by it, I did expect a little more feedback.
Thanks for your input sandman.

[U.K. Brian]

Not that many have tried a 1266 at its best because as Sandman says its old. Unfortunately performance does drop off with age and people I know moved on just because they could not get the machines restored to the original performance. (certainly couldn't in Britain, I had to send my CZ to the U.S. to restore its performance).

So I would not buy one off E-Bay but if someone I knew retired out of the hobby and was selling one I might risk it if it still performed well and was cheap. Well means pretty noisy compared to most modern detectors. You had to learn to listen to the pops and crackles and sort out the weak good signals coming through.

The risk is it could fail in a week and if you can't get it repaired then its money down the drain.

[josephwor]

I will get back with you soon. I have both detectors. About 2 months ago, I purchased a Tesoro Vaquero to hunt around my farmhouse I just purchased that was built in 1890.

In the 1980's I hunted civil war artifacts very heavily abd have owned a few detectors.

In my soil, I was dissapointed in the depth of the Vaquero. It was no improvement over my Tesoro Conquistador that I bought about 10 years ago that cost a lot less money.

I planted a test Garden of quarters @ 4",5",6" and 7". The Vaquero found the one @ 4" and is a strain to find the one @5" I have to turn everything to the max which gives me so many false signals, I could never find any similar sized object @ 5" or more. My old bounty Hunter Outlaw finds it in discriminate mode. It's all metal mode don't work no more.

As of now I sent the detector back to Tesoro. I should have it back in a week. I just bought a used fisher 1266x on ebay. It looks like it has been through WWIII. It is somewhat of a strain but @ if finds the quarter buried @ 7". Evidently I have strong ground mineralization. I don't have it yet, but I bought slightly used Tesoro Lobo to test on my buried quarters. The lobo is designed for extremely mineralized ground. I plan to find a used Tejon as well. Then I will pick the best performing detector from the 4 and sell all the rest.

I have been busy because I am currently moving in the farmhouse. I will post updates as I do more test. Look for another posting within a week. I don't know if there is something wrong with my Vaquero or not. it will be interesting to see what Tesoro says. It may be that the detector is not the best for my soil.

This has been an expensive venture. I will have some used detectors for sale in a couple of months.

[U.K. Brian]

I think there must be a fault if its only as good as your old Tesoro. I think the Vaquero is a very good machine and better value than the Tejon. I would have thought you should be hitting the quarters at ten inches. Then you can always "Supertune" !

I like the Lobo Supertrac but its not the deepest Tesoro by any means. Fantastic sensitivity though.

[cokat7]

Joseph, thanks for your input. I'm looking forward to your results.

[Newfiehunter]

Just read your post regarding the Fisher 1266X....That was a great detector. It had dual discrimination and the only gold chain I ever found was with that machine. Found many gold rings as well and many nice coins...It was well balanced and had great depth. Many fond memories with the 1266X.

When I read your post I had to check that gold chain with my Vaquero and it picked it up nicely. The 1266 was heavier but it had the dual discrimination which was a nice feature to have. If the Vaquero had that feature, it would be one super machine. The tejon has it though, I believe which may have been copied from the old 1266.

Don't really use my Vaquero much as the CZ5 is my main unit. The Vaquero is my backup but a good machine nonetheless.

[josephwor]

It's me again.

When my vaquero came back from Tesoro, I put it's 9x8 coil on the lobo. It out performed all fo the detectors. My farm is very unusual. The mineralization is enormous. It's way worse than the typical Georgia red clay. I have tons of these little brown rocks. Most of them are BB size and the concentration is very high. The detectors pick them up very strong. I tried picking them up with a magnent. They look like iron but the magnent didn't pick them up. There is a mineral museum near me. I'm going to take some of the rocks to them. I am also surrounded by gold mines and found a prospecting hammer on my property. (That's why I like the Lobo)

I have some top quality machines, but they will only go 4-5 inches max. Because of my unique conditions, I probably can't do a fair comarison.

One thing I really don't like about the Vaquero is when you are in all metal mode to go into discriminate, you have to turn two knobs to a setting. You can't just hit a switch. For that reason, I am selling my Vaquero.

Another word of advice I have is to buy used. That way if it doesn't work for you and you paid a fair price, you can re-sell it and not loose very much. I'm playing musical detectors trying to find something that works.

I will be selling my 1266xb and the Vaquero soon. For my soil conditions, the Lobo seems to work the best. After I sell the Vaquero and the 1266XB, I will try a Tejon.

Keep in mind I only plan to hunt my farm for the most part. I have not even tried these machines any where else.

One last thing. Tesoro usually will repair a detector for free even if you bought it used. The Tesoro service manager called me after normal working hours and talked to me for almost 2 hours discussing my soil conditions and options.

I uploaded a picture of the little rocks. They show up best on my gravel driveway.

[josephwor]

I also have quartz boulders 3 feet tall all over the property

[cokat7]

Thanks Joseph, Appreciate the update.

[jwm45]

i have had lots of 1266x's most are all worn out because the lack of parts,but fisher still has a few parts and will repair them.i found a mint 1266x one ago and will keep it,but also have a mint 1265x with a 8"conc.coil the coil is better than the stock coil on the 1266x.
the only tesoros i have found deep are the tejon and the cibola,vaquero is not to deep.the best depth detectors are m/l and fishers.

[josephwor]

It's me again. I ended up buying a used Tesoro Cortes, used Tesoro Lobo ST and a used Tesoro Tejon. I sent all 3 to Tesoro for repairs and custom calibrations. I go them back. There was no charge even though I disclosed I just bought them all used. They didn't even charge me shipping.
You can't get better customer service.

I spent a saturday at a park (not for relics, but coins) with the three tesoro's and my 1266x. In the park scene, hunting coins in a trashy area, the 1266x outperformed everything else.

I like the 1266x because it is idiot proof and you don't have to learn the machine. I have not used the Tejon much, but for relics It might be my choice. It's the only Tesoro that could compete with the 1266x.

Back to your original question. I would take a 1266x over a Vaquero any day. If it were between a 1266x or a Tejon I would probably lean with the Tejon because of the warranty and it is a current machine.

[froggy38383]

Hi all, I'm just wondering how the tesoro vaquero would stack up against the fisher 1266x. I realize that the 1266x is out of production but I have recently considered buying one given it's reputation as a legendary relic hunting machine. Is there any users out there that have used both? I'd be glad to hear of any honest comparisons between the two.

Thanks in advance.

I owned a 1266x for several years then switched to a Cibola. As far as relic hunting goes my finds were/are much better with the Cibola. The Cibola easily outperformed the 1266x both as a coinshooter and relic hunter, I wished I had bought one sooner. It is lighter, simpler, deeper. I think the technology is more advanced. With the Vaquero you have the added benefit of manual ground balance. Hope this helps.